The Game of Life

Players Get Married, Age
In Five-Minute Indie Game

By

Aaron Rutkoff

Updated Jan. 25, 2008 12:01 am ET

A "mature" videogame rating is usually meant to warn players -- and parents -- of oozing wounds, virtual nudity or other adult fare. But "Passage," a downloadable PC game released in late November, shows that a videogame can be considered mature for its artful design and emotional payoff.

"Passage" was developed by 30-year-old programmer Jason Rohrer for an indie game exhibition, and before long the game was the subject of intense, sometimes moving commentary among bloggers. It's impossible to...